Saddle anchor



G. A. FITZGERALD SADDLE ANCHOR Filed Oct. '7. 1966 Dec. 3, 1968 INVENTOR. 622410 4 727242201;

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United States Patent 3,413,773 SADDLE ANCHOR Gerald A. Fitzgerald, 4937 Drew Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. 55410 Filed Oct. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 586,334 4 Claims. (Cl. 52-713) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sheet metal saddle anchor mounting a frame to the top of a concrete wall. An anchor bolt having a head entirely within the recess of the mid-portion of the anchor and a body with a terminating lateral leg embedded in the concrete attaches the saddle anchor to the concrete wall.

This invention relates to an anchoring assembly for holding a frame member to a support. More particularly, the invention is directed to a saddle anchor for attaching prefabricated building frame structure to the top of a concrete foundation wall.

Briefly described, the saddle anchor of the invention is used in conjunction with a concrete foundation wall to hold and stabilize the horizontal base plate of an upright side wall frame structure of a building. The saddle anchor being relatively simple in construction is easily mounted on the foundation wall at the time the concrete wall is poured, or if the wall is of cement block at the time the concrete is placed as core material within the concrete block.

The saddle anchor comprises a generally flat anchoring member which can be bent into a generally U-shape around the bottom and opposite sides of the horizontal base plate of the wall frame structure. A mid portion of the base of the saddle anchor has a downwardly projected recess formed with a hole open to the recess. Anchor bolt means having a head located entirely within the recess projects through the hole and is embedded in the concrete to hold the anchoring member in tight engagement with the top of the foundation wall. The bolt means has a neck projected through the hole in the member and a body embedded in the concrete. The entire head of the bolt means is located in the recess of the anchoring member so that the anchoring member lies flat on the top of the foundation wall. In addition, the depressed central portion of the base of the anchoring member prevents movement of the anchoring member in a lateral direction thereby keeping the wall frame in alignment with the foundation wall. The opposite flanges of the anchoring member are retained in engagement with the opposite sides of the base plate by driven fastening members, as nails, screws or the like.

In use, the flanges of the anchoring member are initially substantially coextensive with the midportion. The anchor bolt means is assembled with the member and together as a unit the anchor bolt and member are mounted on the foundation wall. The anchor bolt extends downwardly into the concrete to permanently attach the saddle anchor to the top of the foundation wall. After the base plate is positioned on the anchoring member the flanges are bent up and attached to opposite sides of the base plate with the driven fastening members. When the anchoring member is located between the upright studs of the wall frame, the end portions of the side flanges are bent over and secured to the top of the base plate thereby laterally and transversely clamping the base plate in the anchoring member.

In addition to providing a stable and secure anchor connection between the concrete foundation wall and the upright Wall frame structure, the saddle anchor is versatile in use since it can be used with varying width base plates and can be placed adjacent the outside of sheathing secured to the frame structure.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building foundation wall and side wall frame structure secured together with the saddle anchor of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the saddle anchor connecting a side wall with sheathing to a foundation wall; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the saddle anchor showing the side flanges in engagement with the top of the base plate.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 an upright concrete foundation wall indicated generally at 10 carrying side wall frame structure 11. A saddle anchor of this invention indicated generally at 12 is used to hold and secure the side wall frame structure on the top of the foundation wall. The foundation wall 10 may be a poured concrete wall having a flat top surface or a concrete block wall with some of the core openings filled with a concrete core 13. The side wall frame structure 11 is preferably a prefabricated wood frame having a horizontal base plate 14 carrying a plurality of upright studs 16.

Saddle anchor 12 of this invention is used to secure base plate 14 to the top of wall 10. Saddle anchor 12 comprises a metal plate or anchoring member bent into a generally U-shape having a generally flat base 17 and opposite upright flanges 18 and 19. The plate may be made from approximately eighteen gauge galvanized sheet metal and have a length of ten inches and a width of four inches. This plate is usable with a 2 x 4 base plate of the frame structure. The size of the plate of the saddle anchbr as well as its thickness and material may vary with the size of the base plate 14 and strength requirements of the building.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the center portion of base 17 has a downwardly projected counter-sunk section 20 forming a cone shaped recess 21. The bottom of the recess has a hole 22. An anchor bolt 23 projected through hole 22 is embedded in concrete core 13 to permanently secure the anchoring member to the top of wall 10. Bolt 23 has a cone shaped head 24 located entirely within recess 21 so that the flat top of the head does not interfere with the positioning of base plate 14 on the saddle anchor. Head 24 is substantially the same shape as cone shaped recess 21 so as to provide a relatively large area of engagement between head 24 and base 17. This relatively flat anchoring member holds the base plate in engagement with the top of wall 10. The lower end 26 of the embedded portion of bolt 23 bent normally to the axis of the bolt functions as a holding foot preventing the bolt from being withdrawn from the concrete core 13.

The upright flanges 18 and 19 of the plate are disposed adjacent the opposite side of base plate 14 and project above the top surface of the plate. Driven fasteners 27, as nails, screws or the like, are used to secure the flanges to the sides of plate 14. As shown in FIGURE 5, when saddle anchor 12 is located on a portion of horizontal base plate 14 which does not have an upright stud, the upper portions 31 and 32 of the flanges are bent over and engage the top surface of the plate. This holds base plate 14 in a clamped relation in both a horizontal transverse direction and an upright direction. Fasteners 33, as nails or screws or the like, are used to secure the inwardly directed portions 31 and 32 to the top of plate 14.

FIGURE 4 illustrates another example of the versatility of saddle anchor 12. A concrete floor 28 is located adjacent the inside of wall 10 with the top surface of the floor in alignment with the top of the wall. Flange 18 of the anchor 12 is bent upwardly to provide space to finish or trowel the concrete surface under the flange. A sheathing 29 is secured to the outside of plate 14 and studs 16. This sheathing does not interfere with the stabilizing and securing function of the saddle anchor since flange 19 is bent in an upward direction adjacent the outside of sheathing 29 as shown in broken lines. In a similar manner, flange 18 is bent upwardly and secured to the opposite side of base plate 14 as shown in broken lines.

In use, a plurality of saddle anchors 12 are used around the top of the foundation wall to secure the side wall frame structure to the top of the foundation wall. Initially the anchor bolts 23 are assembled with base 17. Bolts 23 along with the bottom side of base 17 are embedded in concrete 13 whereby base 17 is held in firm engagement with the top of wall 10. The counter-sunk middle portion 20 lies below the top of the wall in engagement with the concrete thereby preventing lateral movement of saddle anchor 12 relative to the top wall.

To attach the side wall frame 11 to the top of the foundation wall, the frame structure is merely held in an upright position with the base plate 14 in alignment with the top of the foundation wall. With the frame structure in this position the opposite flanges 18 and 19 of the saddle anchor 12 are bent in an upright direction adjacent the opposite side of base plate 14. Fasteners 17 are then inserted through suitable holes in flanges 18 and 19 and driven into the base plate to secure the flanges to the base plate 14. As shown in FIGURE 5, outer portions 31 and 32 of flanges 18 and 19 are bent over and secured to the top of base plate 14 when the saddle anchor is located between the upright studs. When all of the anchor members are attached to the base plate the entire side wall frame structure is held against upright, lateral and rotational movement.

The form and size of the saddle anchor shown and described is of a preferred example of the invention. It is understood that various changes in size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is defined in the following claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A saddle anchor for securing a frame structure having a base plate to a concrete body comprising: an anchor member having a flat base and upright side flanges bendable adjacent the sides of the base plate, said base including a midportion having a downwardly projected section forming a recess and a hole in the center of the downwardly projected section open to the recess, a single bolt means for securing the anchor member to the concrete body, said bolt means having a head located entirely within the recess, a neck projected through said hole, and a bolt body projected from the anchor member for embedding in the concrete body to secure the anchor member to the concrete body, said bolt body terminating in a laterally projected end portion.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the recess has a cone shape and the head has a cone shape of substantially the same size as the recess.

3. The saddle anchor of claim 1 wherein said anchor member is formed from a flat piece of sheet metal.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein each side flange has a plurality of upright rows of spaced holes for accommodating fastening means connecting the anchor member to the base plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,572 3/1927 White 52-713 1,587,355 6/1926 Raum 52-370 1,741,776 12/1929 Isaacson 52-370 2,723,822 11/1955 McGuire 52-698 2,920,477 1/1960 Shaw 52-715 3,109,260 11/1963 De Cesare 52-300 3,188,696 6/1965 Earhart 52-712 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,524 9/ 1935 Germany.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. 

